Acts 2:14a, 22-24

“But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power.” vs. 24

Luke reports that Peter assumed leadership of the little community of believers in Jerusalem and summarizes the content of his teaching in just a few paragraphs. Here Peter addresses those he calls Israelites, those Jews living in Judea and in Galilee who were familiar with Jesus. He doesn’t pull punches and accuses them of having killed Jesus by the hand of the Romans even though they were aware of the wonders and signs that he had done. And then Peter boldly asserts that it was impossible for Jesus to have been held in death’s power, and that God had raised him up. These words remind us of Paul’s words of assurance in Romans 8:38-39. “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This is one of the great promises of the Christian faith. Indeed, it’s impossible to even calculate the peace and comfort believers have received from these words of grace that have been a part of the Church’s testimony from the beginning. Death simply has no power over us! It’s an enemy that need not be feared. How do we know this? Well, Jesus not only told us, he lived it!

Thought for the Day: How does it feel to not fear death?